Most of the 269 passengers and 15 crew were sleeping on the long haul flight from Vancouver to Sydney, Australia when it happened.

"Sitting in front of me the girl hit the plastic overhead and actually snapped it and broke it. I think one of the stewards was badly injured when the trolley fell on top of them," Bailey said.

Cases where flyers are severely injured by turbulence are rare. The Federal Aviation Administration said in 2017 it happened to 17 people. Incidents like this are the reason flight crews tell you to keep your seat belt fastened when you're in your seat.